Submarine safety vessel



July 5, 1932.

c. H. WHITE 1,865,663

PSUBMARINE SAFETY VESSEL Filed June 9. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'IIJHLJIIIIIII Cuff/s fl W/u'fe Inventor By WZM Attorney C. H. WHITE SUBMAR INE SAFETY VESSEL July 5, 1962. 1,865,663

2 Sheets-Sheet walled June 9. 1928 2 Cliff/ 8 Wfl/fe Inventor Attorney Patented July 5, 1932 CURTIS H. WHITE, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON sUnMARinE SAFETY VESSEL Application filed 'June 9,

My present invention relates to an improved submarine safety vessel or submersible underwater craft designedespecially for use in rescuing men or a crew from a submerged submarine vessel as well as for usein salvaging operations on sunken vessels. My

invention comtemplates a buoyant, submersible vessel that is navigable under its own power and provided with electromagnetic means whereby the safety vessel may attach itself to the metallic hull or other portion of the vessel in distress for the purpose of inaugurating rescue or salvaging operations. The safety vessel is equipped with means for effecting an opening in the hull of the'sunken vessel, for providing com munication and ingress as well as egress between the interior of the sunken vessel and that of the safety vessel, whereby a crew may be rescued and carried to the surface of the water in safety. The equipment also includes various other accessories necessary for a complete operative safety vessel as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best model have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a view of a submerged submarine vessel supposed to be resting upon the bottom of the sea and having attached thereto two of the safety vesselsof my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view of the safety vessel at line 22 of Fig. 1 showing it attached to the hull of a sunken ship and with a hole in the hull of the ship for access to its interior;

Fig. 3 is a detail, sectional view of the manually operated means within the interior of the safety vessel for tilting the vessel on its longitudinal axis, as indicated at line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig.4 is a detail, sectional view of a portion of the double wall of the hull of the safety vessel at line 4.l of Fig. 2 showing the manner of introducing the electric our- 1928. Serial No. 284,267.

rents from the exterior to the interior of the safety vessel; Fig. 5 is an enlarged of the electromagnet and its connections; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view at line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an exterior detail view of the hatch door or closure for the open center electromagnet; and

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the manually operated means for sealing the attaching electromagnet to the hull of the sunken vessel.

In order that the utility of the safety vessel of my invention may readily be understood, I have shown in Fig. 1 a sunken vessel 1 of the submarine type, but it will of course be understood that the vessel of my invention is adapted for use with other types of ships that are in distress. In Fig. 1, I have shown the safety vessels A, B, one attached to the deck portion of the submarine and another attached at the side of the hull of the submarine. It will be understood, of course, that one or more of the safety vessels may be used and that they are adapted to be attached to any metallic portion of the sunken vessel.

The safety vessel is buoyant, but it may be weighted with water for the purpose of lowering it from a mother ship on the surface of the water to the necessary depth for the purpose of attaching the safety vessel to the sunken ship. The safety vessel is provided with a housing yoke 2 and the housing cable 3 which is attached to this yoke is, of'course, connected with a hoisting machine on the deck of the mother ship for the purpose of raising and lowering the safety vessel! The vessel is provided with a double wall including the outer hull 4; which is shaped somewhat like a cartridge or projectile, and an interior cylindrical wall 5 is provided for the vessel. Between the hull and the cylindrical wall of the vessel are provided diagonally arranged braces 6 and a water compartment 7' or jacket is thus provided and utilized for the purpose of withstanding'deep sea pressures against the exterior of the vessel.-

Due to its exterior and interior consectional, detail View struction, the hull of the vessel is reinforced and well braced in order to withstand water pressure, and the water chamber 7 may be filled with water to assist in lowering the safety vessel to the required depth for rescue or salvaging operations.

The forward or bow end of the vessel is provided with a circular plate 8 and between the hull and the inner shell an annular partition 9 is provided, and between this partition and the end wall 8, an annular shaped chamber 10 is provided in which compressed air is stored for use.

The vessel may be propelled under its own i power and for this purpose an electric motor 11 is provided near the stern and this motor drives the propeller 12 in the usual manner. For steering the vessel, a rudder 13 is used and the tiller or control lever 14 is connected thereto by usual connections as 15.

The vessel may be tilted on its longitudinal axis, and for this purpose, I provide a air of diametrically alined trunnions 16, cac 1 of which is keyed as at 17 to an arm of the yoke 2, and it will be seen that the yoke straddles the vessel as indicated in the two places in Fig. 1. The trunnions are provided with stuflin g boxes 18 as they pass through the hull and wall of the vessel and the inner end of each shaft 16 is provided with a gear wheel 19 with which a pinion 2O enmeshes. This pinion is carried on the crank shaft 21 and a handle 22 is provided and a dog or pawl 23 is used to lock the pinion in usual manner. Thus, by turning the crank handle 22, the pinion and gear are turned, and as the yoke 2 is keyed on the shaft 16 and remains rigid therewith, the pinion by its coaction with the gear causes the vessel to be tilted on the trunnion as pivots, and of course the vessel is thus tilted on its longitudinal axis.

At the bow or front of the vessel, I provide a housing 24 which is provided with an end plate 25'and within the housing an electromagnet is confined, the solenoid windings for the magnet being shown at 26. The mag net core 27 is provided with a cylindrical lining 27 and the wires 28 from the magnet are connected to conductors 29 that are enclosed within a jacket 30 between the hull and the inner shell of the vessel. By means of these conductors, electric current may be furnished from the mother ship on thesurface of the water in suitable manner and the current passed through the conductors to the interior interior of the vessel. I

The open center magnet with its lining 27 is provided at its inner end with a base ring 33 which is bolted at 34 to the core 27. A closurering 35 is lunged at 36 tothe base ring, and bolts 37 are used to rigidly secure this closure ring to the base ring. A window 38 is provided in the closure ring, and it will be apparent that observations may be made from the interior of the vessel through this window when desired.

WVhile carrying out the rescue or salvaging operations, the vessel is maneuvered in order to bring its prow or bow against the hull 1 of the sunken vessel in order to attach the vessel to the hull of the sunken vessel. The electrical energy of the electromagnet is utilized for the purpose of attaching the magnet to the metallic hull when the current is passed through the electromagnet, and in this manner the safety vessel is attached and is held to the hull of the sunken vessel. The outer face of the magnet is provided with a pneumatic sealing ring 39 which is partially seated in a groove 39 in the face of the magnet core 27 and this pneumatic sealing ring is designed to be pressed against the hull of the sunken vessel for the purpose of preventing ingress of water to the interior of the lining 27. The pneumatic sealing ring is normally deflated, but it may be inflated with compressed air from the chamber 10 through an air pipe 40 extending to the chamber, and the admission of the compressed air to the pneumatic sealing ring is controlled by an air valve 41 in the pipe 40.

A second sealing ring is provided in the core of the magnet and this sealing ring 42 which is of solid rubber is concentric with the pneumatic sealing ring. The solid rubber sealing ring has a metal backing ring 43 and it is seated in an annular recess 44 in the face of the core of the magnet.

The solid rubber sealing ring is manually controlled and for this purpose I use a plurality of adjusting bolts 45 which have ball and socket chains 46 to the metal ring 43 and these bolts are threaded in the bolt ring 47. The inner ends of the bolts project from the magnet in position where they are readily accessible so that they may be turned in the bolt ring 43 for pressing the gasket or sealing ring 42 against the hull of the vessel.

Assuming that the safety vessel has been attached by electromotive force to the exterior face of the hull of the sunken vessel and the pneumatic sealing ring and rubber gasket are excluding water from the interior of the lining 27, the water already contained therein is now withdrawn through an exhaust pipe 48 which extends to a pump 49 that is operated by the electric motor 32, and the water is dis charged to the exterior of the safety vessel through a discharge pipe 50. After the water has been withdrawn from the interior of the magnet lining 27 and while the pneumatic sealing ring and gasket are excluding water from the interior of the lining, the closure or door 35 may be released by removing the bolts 37 and then the door is swung on its hinges 36 to give access to the interior of the lining 27. An oxy-acetylene may now be introduced through the lining 27 and a hole as H may be cut in the hull of the vessel. After the hole has been cut, it will be apparent that communication may be had between the exterior of the sunken vessel and the interior of the safety vessel for the purpose of rescuing the crew of the vessel, or for salvaging purposes. After the safety vessel has accomplished its purpose, the metal plate that has been removed by the use of the torch from the hull is again replaced in the hole H in order to seal the hull, and after the door or closure 35 has been closed, the current may be turned off from the magnet which is thus deenergized, and the safety vessel is thereby detached from the sunken vessel. The safety vessel with its rescued. load may now be hoisted to the deck of the mother ship.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A submergible apparatus, for use in conjunction with a submerged portion. of a vessel, comprising a chamber havinga hatchway, an annular magnet core sealed onone face to said chamber and surrounding said hatchway, a solenoid surrounding the core, an annular recess in the other face of said core, and an inflatable sealing ring positioned in said recess.

2. In combination with the apparatus of claim 1, an annular gasket surrounding said hatchway and sealed to said core and movable longitudinally thereof, and screw means for moving said gasket.

3. In combination with the apparatus in claim 1, an annular gasket surrounding said hatchway and in sealing, slidable, Contact with the inner annular surface of said core 5 and movable longitudinally thereof, screw devices for moving said gasket, and a hatch cover in said chamber closing said hatchway. In testimr ny whereof I afiix my signature.

CURTIS H. WHITE. 

